Lily Cooper

Lily Cooper is a senior at O’Fallon Township High School in O’Fallon, Illinois. She has been playing percussion for 7 years, and this is her first year auditioning for and participating in the Saint Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra. Lily loves all types of musical performances, including classical, jazz, and marching band. Last year, she was selected to play at the ILMEA All-State festival and had the opportunity to perform at the Midwest Clinic for Internation Band and Orchestra with the O’Fallon Township High School Wind Ensemble. She has also performed at IMEC the past two years with the O’Fallon Jazz Band and Wind Ensemble. Lily is looking forward to marching in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with the O’Fallon marching band this year, and also participated in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena in 2022. Lily has been center marimba for the O’Fallon Marching Panthers Marching Band for the past two years, and enjoys playing in percussion ensembles and musical pit at O’Fallon as well. She takes any opportunity to play in additional ensembles, such as performing with the Highland Municipal Band and the St. Louis Brass Band.

Other than music, Lily loves all things STEM as well as nature. When she is not practicing, Lily is tutoring students in mathematics, participating in Science Olympiad competitions, entering chemistry competitions, hiking local trails, or biking with her friends. Lily hopes to major in Musical Performance for Percussion.

Lily would like to thank Dr. Smithiger, who she has studied under for the past year, Mr. Vittetoe and Mr. O’Donnell, her past teachers, and Mr. Murphy, Mr. Carter, and Dr. Melissa Gustafson-Hinds, her band directors who have continued to encourage her in her musical career in and outside of O’Fallon.